The first
War Memorial was located in front of the old School, now a private residence in Top
End, to
commemorate those who died in the First World War. Until 1910, Renhold
suffered badly from endemic typhoid; in that year Cecil Henry Polhill of Howbury
Hall financed the piping of clean water from Biggleswade to Renhold and every
house in the village was supplied with clean water. A fountain (above) was
also then erected by C H Polhill. A commemorative stone (in the brickwork) was
engraved and erected by grateful villagers. In 1919 the villagers, by
public subscription, erected the Memorial in a stone surround as seen above

After the
Second World War, Mrs Charles Polhill donated an area of land in Top End to
the Parish Council as a new site for the marble tablet and having the benefit of
a garden; the names of those who died during the Second World War were
added.

Detail
of the present War Memorial at Top End

1914-18

E Allen, Ernest John Allen, Gunner 25996 86th Heavy Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery
died on Monday 5th February 1917 and whose death is recorded on Memorial. 14.
Baghdad (North gate) War Cemetery, Iraq. Ernest was the son of John Allen and
Mary Ann Seamer Constant (known as Pollie) who married in All Saints, Renhold
on 25th September 1883.
The family lived in a cottage at Tithe farm opposite the
Church.

W Constant, William Blench Constant, Private 233489 1st/2nd Bn., London Regt
(Royal Fusiliers) died on Monday 24th June 1918 aged 24 and was buried at Dainville
British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Reference 1.F.15. N. In All Saints
Churchyard there is a memorial gravestone (plot N27) which reads “In loving memory,
of, Katie Naomi Constant, who died March 21st 1912, Aged 39 years, Also of Katie
Constant, her beloved daughter, who died October 20th 1916, in her 14th year,
Also of, William Blench Constant, who died on the battlefield, June 24th 1918,
Aged 24 years” William, known as Callie, was the son of Katie Naomi Constant,
sister of Mary Ann Constant, the mother of Ernest Allen, and William was born
c. 1894 in Dalston, London.

N J Conquest, Norman James Conquest, Corporal 20084 4th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
died on Tuesday, 30th April 1918 aged 19 and was buried at St Ever Cemetery
extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France, Grave Reference P. XI. M. 6A. Norman
was the son of James and Emily Conquest. Norman was born in Feltbridge, Surrey
in c.1899. His parents moved from Surrey to The Keeper's Cottage, Renhold, in
1912,

A Cox, Arthur
James Cox, Private 33027 6th Btn Leicestershire Regiment died on Saturday 28th
April 1917 aged 31 and buried at Boyelles Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de
Calais, France, Grave Reference I. C. 6. Arthur was the son of Henry Cox, born
in Renhold c.1856, and Elsie Cotchin, born in Great Barford in c.1855. Henry
and Elsie married in All Saints Renhold in January 1881. About 1908 Arthur married
Elizabeth Ann ? and they had four children.

W
Curtis,
Thomas Walter Curtis, Private 204477 1st Btn Hertfordshire Regiment died on
Saturday 23rd March 1918 and was buried at Ste. Emilie Valley Cemetery, Villers-Faucon,
Somme, France, Grave reference III. F. IS. Husband of Mrs L.E. Wootten (formerly
Curtis), of 2 Farrar Street, Kempston. Thomas, known as Walter, was born in Renhold and the family lived in the house
opposite the entrance to Becher Close. Walter was the son of Samuel
and Ursula Curtis. They are buried in All Saints churchyard (plot L35).

A Duncombe
MM, Alfred John Duncombe, Lance Corporal 33795 8th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment
died on Thursday 19th April 1917 aged 20 and whose death is recorded at Loos
Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, Panel 41. Son of Mrs A F Duncombe of Howbury
Cottages, Renhold. In All Saints Churchyard, there is a gravestone (plot K16), barely legible
which reads “In Loving Memory of, …… and Anne Duncombe who
passed on March 23rd 1933 aged 67 years, Also their son Alfred killed in action
in France, April 19th 1917 aged 20” Alfred was the eldest child of five
children of Amos and Anne Florence Duncombe. Amos was born c.1869 and died on
25th March 1906 and Anne was born c.1868, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Alfred
Ashley of Pulloxhill; she died on 23rd May 1935.

A
Harlow,
Alexander Harlow, Lance Corporal 40152, 6th Bn., The Queen’s (Royal West
Surrey Regt.) died on Saturday 12th May 1917, aged 19 and was buried at Vis-en-Artois
British War Cemetery, Harcourt, Pas de Calais, France. Grave Reference IV. G.
13. Son of Arthur and Louisa Harlow of 4 Church End Cottages, Renhold –
they were married at All Saints on 16th November 1886 and Louisa’s maiden
name was Richardson. They are buried in All Saints churchyard (plot H28)

F
Harrison,
Frederick Harrison, Private 77041 16th Bn Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regt)
died on Tuesday 13th June 1916 aged 35 and whose death is recorded on the Menin
Memorial at Ypres, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, Panel 24-26-28-30. Frederick,
the son of Samuel and Naomi Harrison, was born on 8th October 1881. The family
lived at Hill Farm, Water End, Renhold. Samuel was born c.1849 and Naomi
c.1850; they are buried in All Saints churchyard (plot L17).

S Kirby,
Sidney Charles Kirby. Private 200728 1st/5th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment died
on Sunday 26th August 1917 and was buried at Gaza War Cemetery, Israel. Grave
Reference XXII. A. 16. Sidney was the son of John Thomas Kirby and his wife
Jane; John was called Thomas to differentiate him from his father who was also
called John. They lived at 5 St Margaret’s Cottages in Renhold.

H
Shorley,
Harold Cecil Shorley, 32260 6th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment died on Sunday 3rd
November 1918 and was buried in All Saints Churchyard (plot N31). Son of Mr H Shorley of
41 Banks Road, Biggleswade. The gravestone reads “In loving memory, of,
Harold Cecil Shorley, dearly loved son of, Herbert & Fanny Shorley, who
was called home, November 3rd 1918, after a long and painful illness, Aged 24”.
There is also a separate gravestone (plot N28) “In loving Memory of, Ethel Margaret
dearly loved daughter, of Herbert and Fanny Shorley, who was called home June
2nd 1913, after a long and painful illness aged 19 years” Harold’s
sister. Harold was the son of Herbert and Fanny Shorley; Herbert was born in
Renhold in c.1862, the son of William and Ann Shorley, who are buried in
All Saints churchyard plot T41)).
Herbert & Fanny lived at Top End
Farm in Renhold. But after the War moved to Biggleswade

H Ware,
Herbert Ware, 13943 7th Bn. Bedfordshire Regiment died on Saturday 19th August
1916 aged 34 and was buried in All Saints Churchyard (plot M27). Husband of Elizabeth Agnes
Lovell, then of Elm House, now 57 Top End, Renhold. The grave reads “Herbert
Ware, (Beds Rgt), The beloved husband of Elizabeth Agnes Ware, who died August
19th 1916, of wounds received in France, Aged 34 years” Herbert was born
in Devon – either Roborough, near Torrington or Doddiscombsleigh - in
August/September 1883.

For a time
Herbert was a Police Officer in London but by 1907 had married Elizabeth Agnes
Lovell, who lived with her parents at Salph End Farm. They had seven children.

M D
Ward,
Maurice Oliver Ward, Private 5951129 5th Bn. Suffolk Regt. died on Wednesday
29th September 1943 aged 27 and was buried at Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand,
Grave Reference 1. K. 8. Son of Benjamin and Gertrude Annie Ward of Renhold;
they are buried in All Saints churchyard (plot I25) with reference to Maurice.

P
Watson,
Parkin Watson, Trooper 13095821 Royal Armoured Corps died on Sunday 30th July
1944 aged 23 and was buried in All Saints Churchyard (plot J37), son of Joseph William
and Mary Watson. Husband of Eva Dorothy Constant of Renhold. The War Graves
stone reads “13095821 Trooper P Watson, Royal Armoured Corps, 3rd July
1944 23” Below is a stone which reads “Joseph Watson, died 29th
June 1972 aged 74 and Mary Lizzie died 29th June 1989 aged 92” –
The parents are, however, buried in the old Bedford Cemetery.

For more
information about those listed on the War Memorial contact
Rob Gaskell